Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 23:10:49 GMT From: Salvo Bartolotta <bartequi@nojunk.com> To: Walter Brameld <brameld@twave.net>, jcm@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org Cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: metaports ... Message-ID: <20000122.23104900@bartequi.ottodomain.org> References: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0001211457470.25613-100000@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20000122.170600@bartequi.ottodomain.org> <3888FA8E.FD65AA02@twave.net> <20000122.8115700@bartequi.ottodomain.org> <3889C346.37971709@twave.net>
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> Dear Mr. Bartolotta,
> I commend you on giving a very comprehensive explanation of
> the word "meta". However, Jonathon's original question was
> "What is a meta-PORT?" and I also lacked this bit of
> knowledge, so I was interested in the reply. The other
> respondent provided the information that a meta-port is one
> that will install other ports that are required for it to
> function. Using rules of theory, or perhaps even Occam's
> razor I felt that was the more definitive explanation. If
> failing to glean this information from your response was due
> to a lack of intelligence on my part, please do not take
> umbrage. I do have many short-comings.
> Yours sincerely,
> Walter Brameld
Dear Mr Brameld,
thank you very much for clarifying.
Yesterday, Mr Darren Wiebe gave an almost complete answer to your
question in a letter of his ("Re: metaports"). He only left a
little particular understood: a metaport does not install anything
"per se"; it only manages sub-ports, or, if you prefer, dependencies.
It simply acts as a sort of supervisor with respect to the related
subports.
Let us listen to what e.g. Mr KDE-1.1.2 metaport has to tell us:
== KDE provides an integrated X11 based environment, much like CDE.
== This package does not contain anything by itself -- it is a
== "meta-port" that depends on other KDE packages. Its sole purpose is
== to require dependencies so users can install this package only and
== have all the KDE stuff pulled in by the port/package dependency
== mechanism.
(Cf /usr/ports/x11/kde11/pkg/DESCR)
If you look at its PLIST, you will find that it is intentionally left
empty; moreover, it will remain such after you have "installed" the
metaport. By the way, I have KDE-1.1.2 up and running.
If you should "install" such a metaport, you would also notice
that the .PLIST.mktmp, which is found in the related .../work
directory, was left empty.
Further, and more significantly, my KDE-1.1.2 metaport .../work
directory contains no *.h or *.c files, no other source-related files
at large, and no subdirectories; only .PLIST.mktmp and the *.done
files are present.
The same applies to my Gnome metaport.
In the handbook, a few details on this subject are dealt with at some
lenght. However, the definitive "splitting hairs" exact response to
your question is provided by the metaport Makefiles and, especially,
by
bsd.port.mk. The latter, which is found in /usr/ports/Mk, expounds
the ports mechanisms exhaustively.
I hope that this information will be of help.
Please note: my_fake_antispam_domain ===> neomedia.it to e-mail to me.
Yours sincerely
Salvo Bartolotta
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